New Zealand visa query

lwhelan14

Hi ,

I have gotten a job in Marlborough, NZ with a law firm starting in Oct which gives myself and my partner a few weeks to get things in order. Just wonder if anyone can advise in relation to the following :

1. Visas : My employers will be helping to sort my visa and my understanding is that I apply for a WHV and when I arrive in NZ, they will change it over for me ( I think to a work to residence visa). My query is , if I leave the job after say 6 months, what happens in relation to the visa at this time ? Do I have to apply for another temporary visa or does my initial temporary visa remain in place meaning I can undertake temporary work until I get something permanent again ?

2. Insurance : Also any help in relation to medical insurance would be greatly appreciated as we are unsure what medical/ travel insurance to take out.


Any other useful tips would be great !

elementalwater

I got the VHI Global Insurance. Health and Travel insurance in one. Seems really good and i've found the VHI great in the past. But there are other ones out there. I think with VHI my Health, Dental and Travel insurance is coming out at €90 per month.

Dunno anything about the Visa query. Would presume that the work visa would be sponsored by the company so if you left them your sponsorship would be gone too and therefore your visa.

hussey

lwhelan14 wrote: »

Hi ,

I have gotten a job in Marlborough, NZ with a law firm starting in Oct which gives myself and my partner a few weeks to get things in order. Just wonder if anyone can advise in relation to the following :

1. Visas : My employers will be helping to sort my visa and my understanding is that I apply for a WHV and when I arrive in NZ, they will change it over for me ( I think to a work to residence visa). My query is , if I leave the job after say 6 months, what happens in relation to the visa at this time ? Do I have to apply for another temporary visa or does my initial temporary visa remain in place meaning I can undertake temporary work until I get something permanent again ?

you cannot go back to a WHV once you have used it, why aren't they getting you a work residence visa first? seems a bit strange.
if you leave after 6 months you'll need to get another sponsor to employ you and provide a visa (unless you apply for some kind of skilled migration)

I am no expert on NZ visa - if any one wants to clarify this
but I'm sure it is outlined http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/stream/visit/

PhiliousPhogg

Firstly - elementalwater I have a medical only VHI Global policy & paying EUR 72 per month which is pricey when you're earning NZ money! (Although the exch rate helps now) I looked at Southern Cross (NZ company) a while ago & it was way way cheaper but only available to NZ residents. I didn't look into any other companies since. Also the VHI would fly you or your body home if something serious happened. It's sad to see fundraisers for people like that with no insurance.

Visas: You will need a visa to enter the country, unless you have a return flight out within 3 months or something like that. So if you're getting a WHV get it online before you go. The WHV will be granted in about 2 days and is less that EUR100. It is only available to people under 30 I think. It activates when you enter the country and expires 1 year later regardless if you leave NZ or not, or if you subsequently work under a different visa like the work sponsored visa.

If you enter the country on the WHV and then get the employer sponsored work visa say a month later, the WHV will continue and still expires one year after you enter the country. On the WHV you can work anywhere doing anything, whereas the employer sponsored work visa is specifically related to the job you have been offered - it will expire if you leave the job, and if you get a new job you need to do a new application for another work visa. If you enter the country on the work sponsored visa and it turns out you don't like the job, you could quit & then get the WHV, then you have your freedom for a full year til you get a new job.

However I'd say it'll be tight to get the work sponsored visa granted by October, NZ immigration are slow and frustrating to deal with. I'd say this is why the employer told you to get the WHV to make sure you're able to get started there. It took me about 2 and a half months to get a work visa for myself only last year and I was in NZ at the time.

Best of luck, Marlborough is quiet & rural with lots of vineyards, and has some smashing coastline. You might also be feeling rumbles from the earthquakes down in Caterbury.

lwhelan14

Thanks very much Phillious! Very useful info there and thanks for clarifying the position re sponsored visa if I change jobs after 6 months.

Really looking forward to it now. We dont have truck loads of possessions or anything to take so the next few weeks won't be too manic thankfully. Just waiting on Garda Clearance ( which is taking forever because theres such a backlog here! ) and once I sign my employment contract I can book flights

I intend on doing lots of wine tasting in Marlborough !